𝐎𝐜𝐞𝐚𝐧'𝐬 𝐄𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 ~ 𝐑𝐨𝐮𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞 𝐆𝐚𝐦𝐞

15

𝑲𝒆𝒆𝒑 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒊𝒓 𝑯𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒔 𝑹𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒊𝒏' ~ 𝑫𝒓. 𝑫𝒓𝒆

◇

"You've been red-flagged. It means the moment you set foot on that casino floor, they'll be watching you. Like hawks. Hawks with video cameras", Livingston explained while standing nervously next go the couch.

They were all in the main living room. Reuben was sitting on the couch while smoking a cigar, Linus was leaning against the wall, Danny, Rusty and Amanda were sitting at the bar stools near the counter of the bar.

"That's a problem", Rusty muttered. "Saul, turn that off, will you?"

"I'll turn it off when I'm ready to turn it-", he started saying still using the German accent but got cut off.

"Saul!", Rusty shouted at him and he quickly turned off the TV.

"It's off. It's off", he said before standing up.

"Any idea how this happened?", Rusty asked Danny.

"No", he simply muttered.

"Oh, come on. He's been chasing Benedict's girl. The two of them got in an argument two nights ago. I was tailing you", Linus said.

"And who told you to do that?", Danny asked him.

"We did, me and Rusty. I know you, Danny, you're my brother. And I know that you wouldn't let go Tess so easily", Amanda said making Danny look at her in disbelief.

"We were concerned you wouldn't leave Tess alone", Rusty said.

"Who's Tess?", Reuben asked confused.

"My wife."

"Ex-wife", Amanda said and Danny gave her a look.

"Tess is here?", Saul asked but no one answered.

"I'm sorry, we didn't know if it would sting you, but it did", Rusty said while Danny simply scoffed because he didn't sound really apologetic.

"You're out, Danny", Amanda told him.

"He's out?!", Reuben asked confused.

"It's either that or we call the whole thing off. His involvement puts us all at risk", Rusty explained.

"This is not your call", Danny told Amanda and Rusty.

"You made it our call, Danny, when you put Tess before us. You made us lose trust in you, I'm sorry", Amanda told him and Danny scoffed again looking down.

"This is my job!", Danny said.

"Not anymore", Rusty told him calmly.

"Wait, wait. He can't just be out. Who's gonna trigger the vault?", Reuben asked even more confused.

"Kid, you up for it?", Rusty asked looking at Linus.

"Come on, I'll train you. Like the old times", Amanda told him, turning around aswell.

"I can do it", Linus muttered.

"Done. Locate the others. Let them know the change in plan. Curtain goes up at 7:00", Rusty said as he stood up.

"Tess is with Benedict now?", Saul asked confused. "She's too tall for him."

Amanda stood up aswell going to follow Rusty but Danny grabbed her arm making her turn around.

"You can't do it just because he said so", Danny told her.

"I have my own mind, and just so you know, it was my choice", Amanda told him harshly before freeing herself from his grasp and following Rusty out.

•••

"Alright, let's do this again. Where are you gonna put your hands?", Amanda asked Linus.

She was sitting next to Rusty at one of the bar stools at the bar area in the room. Linus was in front of them as he tried to follow Amanda's instructions.
He moved his hands to hold the small briefcase.

"No, come on, you can do better than this", Amanda tried to encourage him while Rusty wrapped an arm around her waist.
Linus sighed before going to touch his tie.

"Don't touch your tie. Look at me. I ask you a question, you have to think of the answer. Where do you look?", she asked him. Linus went to look down and Rusty chuckled.

"No good. Remember what I always tell you, keep a poker face. If you look down they know you're lying", Amanda told him and Linus nodded before looking up. "And up, they know you don't know the truth. Don't use seven words when four will do. Don't shift your weight."

"Look always at your mark, but don't stare. Be specific, but not memorable. Be funny, but don't make him laugh. He's gotta like you and then forget you the moment you've left his sight. And for God's sake, whatever you do, don't, under any circumstances-", Rusty explained until he was interrupted.

"Russ?", Basher called him.

"Yeah?", he asked.

"Can you take a look at this?", Basher asked him.

"Sure", he said before standing up, leaving Linus confused.

"Don't do what?", he asked Amanda, who just chuckled before speaking up.

"Don't worry, it wasn't that important. You know everything you need to know for this. Just, please,remember the poker face, never lose it", she told him seriously.

Linus nodded at her before closing his eyes and sighing deeply. When he opened his eyes Rusty walked inside the room again.

"Can I ask you a question?", he asked them and Amanda hummed in response.

"How do you two exactly know each other?", he asked.

"Well, his father caught me while I was pickpocketing a few years ago. He managed to track me and, once he found me, he asked me to work with him and his wife for some jobs. I was spending much time with them and eventually I met Linus. Soon his parents asked me to train him and I taught him everything I know", Amanda explained.

"Okay, I'm ready", Saul said as he walked inside the room.

"All right. I'll go get ready", Amanda said standing up.

"Let's do this."

A/N: I'm so excited for the next chapter. I hope you're enjoying this story by far <33 I wanted to say Buon Ferragosto to all my Italian readers!!

I love you all 3000♡